


Sleepyhead

by goodluckgettingtosleep



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, with a teeny tiny bit of smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 12:50:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6052252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodluckgettingtosleep/pseuds/goodluckgettingtosleep
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin has a habit of falling asleep after sex and Arthur loves teasing him for it. That is, until a very sleepy Merlin accidentally proposes to him one night... or does he?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleepyhead

**Author's Note:**

> So, this a short fic that I wrote almost by accident. I'm currently working on a longer fic and was a bit stuck, so a friend of mine suggested I could do some free writing, but instead I ended up writing a short fic based on [this](http://otpprompts.tumblr.com/post/139389261114/person-a-teases-person-b-about-getting-sleepy) prompt:  
> "Person A teases Person B about getting sleepy after having sex. As B is falling asleep, the last thing they say is “I’m going to marry your idiot ass.” A then gets flustered, pulls B tenderly into their arms and falls asleep together with B. Bonus: A asks B about what they said when they wake up. How B reacts is up to you."
> 
> Huge thanks and lots of hugs to my beta [edenofalltrades](http://archiveofourown.org/users/edenofalltrades/pseuds/edenofalltrades) ♥

Arthur chuckled quietly as Merlin collapsed on top of him. He was sweaty, and smelled like sex when Arthur buried his face in his hair. He’d wanted this for so long, wanted _Merlin_ for so long that he still couldn’t quite believe that he was really there, wrapped in his arms, all warm, cozy, and satisfied. It felt surreal, finally being able to have what he’d always wanted, finally being himself.

Merlin moaned softly against his shoulder. He sounded exhausted and sleepy, like he always did after sex. Multiple rounds weren’t usually happening with Merlin; most of the time he was so sleepy after one round that he would just fall asleep after a few minutes, even when they were having sex in the afternoon, or in the morning. Arthur loved teasing him for it, but Merlin wasn’t even sorry.

“So what, I’m sleepy,” he would say. “As much as I love you, Arthur, I really love sleeping as well, and I usually sleep splendidly after sex.”

Today was no different. He could feel Merlin’s breathing growing even against his chest, steadier with each passing minute.

“You’re going to fall asleep again, aren’t you?” Arthur asked with an overdramatic sigh, immediately followed by a fond chuckle.

“Hmm,” Merlin mumbled contently.

Arthur snorted, but it sounded much more affectionate than he’d intended. “You’re the worst, Merlin. Like a 70-year-old.”

Merlin turned his head and glanced up at him. “Oi!”

“Seriously. Like an old dude who needs to rest after burning himself out.”

“I _am_ old,” Merlin grumbled.

“You’re _25_ . Even _I_ am older than you. Do you see me falling asleep every time after we have sex?”

Merlin glared, a grin dancing around his lips. “You’re not that much older. Plus, you’re an athlete. Your stamina is a lot better than mine.”

Arthur snorted again. “Obviously, yeah.”

“You’re chasing after a ball for 90 minutes every week. I wouldn’t survive that if I tried.”

“No, _you_ would stumble over the ball and break your neck,” Arthur told him and leaned down to press featherlight kisses along Merlin’s jawline.

“Probably.” Merlin closed his eyes and started humming contently. Arthur knew he would fall asleep in no time if he continued showering his face with light kisses and allowed him to close his eyes while doing it.

“Come on, Merlin. Just this one time. No falling asleep.”

“If you say so,” Merlin murmured. He sounded like he was already drifting off. Arthur just knew him too well at this point. He gave an exasperated sigh.

“I have the worst and most boring boyfriend in the world,” he complained, knowing Merlin wouldn’t just let that pass.

“You do not.”

“Oh, I do. Look at him. He’s all sleepy again and about to pass out on me.”

Merlin grumbled something against his chest and Arthur shivered, enjoying the feeling of Merlin’s lips moving against his skin.

“I’m so going to marry your idiot ass,” he finally murmured, barely loud enough for Arthur to hear, sounding sleepy and amused, and just a little bit annoyed, but most of all genuinely fond.

Arthur gasped when the realized what Merlin had said. Was he proposing to him? While being half asleep? Or was Merlin just talking in his sleep? They’d been together for almost a year, but marriage had never come up, even though Arthur had thought about it several times. He never wanted to be with any other person again; Merlin was _it_ , and Arthur did want to marry him, of course he did. But he hadn’t expected Merlin to just blurt something like that out in his half sleep, right after Arthur had teased him for his ridiculous sleepiness after sex.

“Wh-what?” he asked and hated how his voice sounded. He shouldn’t feel so awkward after months of being in a relationship, and years of friendship before that.

Merlin didn’t answer. Instead he was snoring lightly against Arthur’s chest. Of course he was. Arthur sighed and wrapped his arms around Merlin, holding him as close as he could. He pressed a kiss to his tousled, dark hair and pulled the duvet over the both of them to keep them warm despite their lack of pyjamas.

“I freaking love you, you big idiot,” Arthur murmured, before burying his face in Merlin’s hair and closing his eyes. He would ask Merlin in the morning what exactly he’d meant, if he could remember it at all. Maybe - probably? - he’d really just been talking in his sleep…

 

+++

 

Merlin was already awake and staring at him when Arthur woke up the next morning. A bright smile was plastered on his face and his eyes looked very intensely blue in the early light of the sun coming in through the window. Arthur moaned sleepily and stretched his tired limbs, leaning up to press a kiss to Merlin’s lips in the process.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” he said, his voice low and hoarse from sleeping.

“You’re the sleepyhead. I’ve been awake for ages.”

“It figures, since you were the one falling asleep on me - _again_!”

Merlin chuckled softly. “Sorry.”

Arthur sighed and rolled over to pin Merlin down on the mattress. He kissed him again, deeper this time, and bit teasingly down on his lower lip.

“I know you’re not. Sleeping is your first love, I cannot compete.”

Merlin made a strange noise between two kisses. “No, it’s not. It’s my second love.”

“What’s your first then?” Arthur asked with a fond smile.

Merlin chuckled. “Food, obviously.”

He was rewarded with a light punch on the shoulder and a fake pout.

“Oi!”

Merlin leaned up to kiss Arthur, chuckling softly.

“I was just kidding. You know I’m Arthur trash number one.”

Arthur liked to believe that he was. And judging by his last words the night before, he probably shouldn’t doubt him; or, well, he shouldn’t doubt him in general. He didn’t. Of course he knew Merlin loved him.

“Hmm… about that, what did you mean yesterday? Before you fell asleep?” Arthur asked carefully, because he had to know.

Merlin made a face, clearly having no clue what Arthur was talking about. “Huh?”

“You said something along the lines of ‘I’m going to marry your idiot ass.’”.

Merlin’s eyebrows shot up, and a soft shade of pink tinted his cheeks.

“Oh.”

Arthur looked at him expectantly.

“Did I say that out loud?”

“You did.”

“Oh.” Merlin bit his lip. “Well…” A brilliant smile spread on his face. “I guess it’s out then.”

Arthur frowned, not quite sure what Merlin was implying. “What?”

“I’m going to marry you,” Merlin explained seriously and Arthur burst into laughter.

“I don’t remember asking.”

“You didn’t. I just decided.”

Of course he did. “Oh. Well…”

Merlin grinned. “Any objections?”

Arthur felt warm all over, like he always did when Merlin looked at him like that. Merlin was so damn beautiful, and Arthur loved him so damn much. He couldn’t imagine spending his life without him. He was stuck with the idiot now, and he wouldn’t want to have it any other way.

“No,” he said softly, “None at all.”

Merlin’s bright grin grew impossibly broader.

“So it’s settled then.”

Arthur shrugged. “I suppose so.”

Merlin wrapped his arms around Arthur and rolled them over, straddling Arthur’s hips and pinning Arthur’s arms above his head.

“I was thinking of a spring wedding. When it’s nicely warm, but not too hot, and chances are that the sun will come out to celebrate with us.”

Arthur scrunched up his nose. “You’re so cheesy.”

“Oi!”

“Yeah, you’re hopeless, but for some reason I love you nonetheless.”

Merlin punched Arthur lightly on the chest. “Hopelessly in love, if anything.”

Arthur made gagging sounds while laughing so hard that his stomach started aching. Merlin _was_ incredibly cheesy if he wanted to be, but if Arthur was being honest, he had to admit that he agreed with Merlin most of the time. He was a little bit cheesy on the inside as well when it came to Merlin. Not that he would ever admit it.

“I hate you,” Merlin said with a fake pout.

“You do not.”

Merlin sighed. “Well, maybe I don’t hate you _that_ much.”

Arthur pulled him down to kiss him.

“A spring wedding it is,” he told him and felt Merlin smile into the kiss.

He pulled away and reached out to bury a hand in Arthur’s thick, blond hair, their foreheads touching and their lips only a few inches apart.

“Don’t ask me why, but I really fucking love you, Arthur Pendragon.”

Arthur grinned. “I know.”

And when Merlin kissed him again, Arthur knew that he was, and would always be, Merlin trash number one.

 

+++

 

**six months later**

 

“Come on, Merlin! It’s our wedding night!” Arthur wailed, half serious, half laughing as he shook Merlin’s shoulder. The idiot was actually about to fall asleep again. It was just what Arthur got when he disappeared to the loo for a minute, he supposed; he would find his husband half-asleep again, snuggled up in a pile of blankets.

“Hmmm. So cozy, Arthur. Come here.” Merlin blindly reached for Arthur’s arm and dragged him back down onto the bed when he finally got a hold of it.

“No, we’re not going to sleep now. Not this time. I forbid it, Merlin.”

“But--”

“It’s our bloody wedding night, Merlin! You can sleep later.” Arthur couldn’t help laughing as he tried tickling Merlin, though it was of no avail. Merlin wasn’t moving.

“What, are you some kind of Zen master now?” Arthur asked, incredulously. “I know you’re ticklish as hell!”

Exasperated, he turned Merlin’s body around and sat between his legs. Merlin’s eyes were squeezed shut and there was an impish grin dancing around his lips.

“All right, then. You gave me no other choice,” Arthur said and turned his full attention to Merlin’s cock.

“FUCK, Arthur!” Merlin finally moaned when Arthur took him in his mouth. But instead of continuing, he sat back on his heels and gave Merlin a smug grin.

“You still want to sleep?”

“No, fuck. Just--” Merlin gestured towards his abandoned cock.

“Hmm, nah. I think I want to sleep now,” Arthur told him and laid back down next to him, grinning as he closed his eyes.

“What?! Arthur, no. You open your eyes _right now_ and finish what you started!”

“Nope.”

“Arthur!” Merlin wailed and started shaking Arthur’s shoulder.

Arthur couldn’t help giggling under his breath, his soft giggles causing his body to shake ever so slightly. He didn’t move, though, as Merlin tried to win back his attention.

“I hate you!” Merlin whined after a while.

Arthur took that moment to finally move and pin Merlin to the mattress.

“Will you fall asleep on me again?”

“No. Well - I can’t always control--”

“ _Merlin._ ”

Merlin sighed and smiled softly. “Not tonight. I promise.”

“That’s all I wanted to hear.”

Merlin cleared his throat “Well, then, now that this has been resolved...” He nodded down to his crotch. “Get on with it!”

Arthur looked scandalized. “So bossy.”

“Yeah, well, since we were already switching roles…”

“Oi! You’re lucky I love you.”

“And you’re lucky _I_ love _you_. Now get on with it! Less talking, more--”

Merlin never got a chance to finish his sentence.

“FUCK!”

  
  
-Fin-


End file.
